Container and stand assembly



g- 11, 1954 s. R. WEISBERG 3,144,129

CONTAINER AND STAND ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 Aug. 11, 1964 s. R. WEISBERG CONTAINER AND STAND ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1962 INVENTOR. NEY R. Wmsaene United States Patent 3,144,129 CONTAINER AND STAN D ASSEMBLY Sydney R. Weisherg, 1715 Halsted St., Chicago, Ill. Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 241,969 8 Claims. (Cl. 206*56) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 204,115, filed June 21, 1962, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a package assembly including a flexible bag which normally is non-self-supporting.

The practice of packaging liquid and solid substances in moisture and air impervious plastic containers has expanded markedly in recent years. In some instances the plastic containers are flat flexible bags which are substantially non-self-supporting. Generally speaking, the fiat flexible bags are enclosed in a rigid or semi-rigid auxiliary container to provide support for the bags after they have been opened and a portion only of the contents thereof used. However, these containers or supports have been bulky and inconvenient to use. In many instances, no such associated supporting container is provided for the flexible bags, and the user, after opening the bags and removing therefrom less than all of the contents contained therein, is faced with the annoying and oft times frustrating experience of having to devise means for keeping the remainder of the contents of the bag from leaking out, or spilling.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a package assembly including a flexible, substantially moisture and air impervious, non-self-supporting bag and a stable support therefor which together form an inexpensive integral unit which takes up substantially no more shipping space than the flexible bag itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package assembly as just described wherein the contents of the bag readily can be poured from a spout at the upper corner of the bag while the bag remains on a stand. A related object of the invention is to provide a package assembly as just described wherein the bag may be readily severed at the corner thereof to form a pouring spout.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package assembly as described which, after severance of the corner of the bag to form a pouring spout, the bag will automatically seal itself when the stand is placed in an upright position on a horizontal support surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package assembly as described above in which the stand can be used as a means for receiving printed matter identifying the product or, alternatively, where the stand does not substantially obscure printed matter directly placed upon the bag.

In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, a flat, flexible bag is combined with a unique stand comprising a pair of panels of cardboard or similar material disposed on the opposite flat sides of the bag and secured most advantageously at two widely horizontally spaced points at the top of the bag, so that the bag cannot tilt with respect to the stand in the plane of the bag. The panels are substantially longer than the bag so that they extend beyond the bottom of the bag when placed contiguous to the flat sides of the bag. When the panels are contiguous to the flat sides of the bag, the package assembly is in a compact condition for storage or shipment. The panels are spreadable apart so that they extend downwardly and outwardly from the top of the bag to form a stable triangular base between which the bag depends.

Means are preferably provided for holding the panels in their spread apart relation. In one form of the invention, this means takes the form of foldable extensions at the bottom of the panels which extend horizontally inwardly from the bottom of the panels into interlocking relationship. In another form of the invention, this means comprises foldable bridging walls extending between the confronting side margins of the panels, the walls having a fold line permitting each bridging walls to be folded so as to enable the panels to be brought against the sides of the bag. When the bridging walls are unfolded, the panels are held thereby in spaced apart relation where they form the triangular base referred to.

The stand forming panels and the bag are so related that a spout can be readily formed at the upper corner of the bag by severing the corner of the bag. In one form of the invention, this result is achieved by cutting away the corners of the panels or otherwise enabling a corner of the bag to project beyond the stand where it readily can be severed by a knife or scissors. In another form of the invention, the stand forming panels extend the full width of the bag and means are provided for readily severing a corner of the bag and the panels simultaneously by grasping the panels and manually tearing away the corners of the panels. This means may include aligned perforations formed in the panels which form a straight edge on each panel against which the bag walls are severed when the bag is pulled against the panels. Where the material out of which the bag is made does not permit a ready severance by this means, a severing edge is provided by a thin edged strip of plastic or metal secured to the outside of one of the panels in a manner where the thin edge thereof extending along the line of perforation referred to. The bag, can, therefore, be readily severed against the thin edge of the strip of plastic or metal when the corners of the panels are grasped and pulled against the edge of the strip.

Once the bag has been severed, where the contents of the bag are not to be dispensed all at one time, the problem exists in maintaining a seal in the bag to prevent evaporation of liquid contents in the bag, or ingress of moisture into the bag where solid materials are involved which are adversely affected by moisture. To this end, the stand is dimensioned in such a way that the bottom of the bag depending from the top of the stand rests upon a horizontal support surface which may be part of the stand or the support surface on which the stand rests. For this purpose it is important that the bag be attached to the stand only at the top thereof. In such case, the weight of the bag resting on the support surface will cause the bag to tilt slightly which causes a fold or crease in the bag walls above the level of the contents thereof which compresses the bag walls together, forming a seal at the crease line.

In the case where the stand comprises one or more panels made of an opaque material encompassing most of the area of the bag, the panels may be provided with a relatively large cutout section in the center thereof which forms a window through which a side of the bag containing printed material may be readily visible.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent upon making reference to the specification to follow, the claims and the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of one form of package assembly of the invention in a horizontal compact condition for storage or shipment;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the package assembly of FIG. 1, taken substantially along the line 22 therein;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the package assembly of FIG. 1 in a vertical self-supporting position with a corner of the bag cut away;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the package assembly of FIG. 3

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of the stand of the package assembly of FIGS. 1-4 showing an interlocking tongue and a slot construction added thereto for holding the stand in a spread out condition;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of the lower portion of a modified tongue and slot construction;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view corresponding to the View of the invention shown in FIG. 4 and illustrating a one piece modified stand construction;

FIG. 8 is a view in perspective of an improved package assembly of the invention supported in a horizontal compact condition for storage or shipment;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view through the package assembly shown in FIG. 8, taken substantially along the line 99 therein;

FIG. 10 is a view of the package assembly of FIGS. 8 and 9 with the stand-forming panels of the assembly spread apart to form a stable support for the bag;

FIG. 11 is a view in perspective of still another improved form of the invention in a horizontal compact position for storage or shipment;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view through the package assembly of FIG. 11, taken substantially along the line 1212 therein;

FIG. 13 is a view of the package assembly of FIGS. 11 and 12 with the side panels of the stand spread apart to support the bag in an upright position;

FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional view through FIG. 13, taken substantially along the line 1414 therein;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner portion of a still further modified panel construction facilitating the severance of the corner of the bag;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view through the package assembly of FIG. 15, taken substantially along the line 1616 therein;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner of a modified package assembly showing lines of perforations in the side panels for enabling the manual severance of a corner of the bag to form a pouring spout;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary view through a corner of a package assembly which has been modified from that shown in FIG. 17 by the addition of a tear edge-forming strip thereto; and

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the package assembly shown in FIG. 18, taken substantially along the line 1919 therein.

Referring now to the drawings, each package assembly includes a flat, non-self-supporting flexible bag 10 most desirably fabricated of a thin transparent thermoplastic sheet material which may initially be a flattened openended body whose opposite ends are sealed by conventional heat-sealing techniques. The finished bag is essentially impermeable to aqueous media and air, does not readily tear and yet can be easily opened to expose the contents thereof for use. A number of transparent, flexible thermoplastic film materials are commercially available for this purpose, such as polyethylene. It is to be understood that the constructional details of the flexible bag 10 may vary in accordance with the desires of the manufacturer, and so the description of the flexible bag herein given is by way of illustration and not limitation.

The bag 10 has closely spaced flat front and rear walls 11 and 12 which are hermetically sealed together as by a heat seal 13 and 14 thereof to form a sealed compartment therein which can hold solid or liquid materials. The upper seal 14 advantageously is positioned within the perimeter of the bag to provide a marginal area 16 Without the seal conveniently to serve as a point of attachment for a support base or stand 20 for the bag. The stand 20 illustrated in FIG. 1 desirably comprises side panels 21 and 22 of any suitable material, such as cardboard, having foldable outer extensions 23 and 24 defined by crease lines 25 and 26, respectively. The panels may either comprise two separate elements as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, or a single element, foldable upon itself, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

The panels 21 and 22 are shown of lesser width than the walls 11 and 12 of the bag 10. The width of the foldable panel extensions 23 and 24- corresponds to that 4 of the panels 21 and 2.2 and the length of the panels 21 and 22 above the crease lines 25 and 26 is appreciably greater than the height of the bag. The length of the foldable sections 23 and 24 is sufiicient to provide an adequately stable base to be described. The dimensions and configuration of the panels 21. and 22 and their extensions 23 and 24, however, may be varied over wide limits consistent with the purposes to be performed thereby as will be explained below.

Attachment of the stand 2t? to the bag 10 advantageously is accomplished by sandwiching the bag 10 between the side panels 21 and 22, and securing the upper ends of the panels and the bag together by any suitable means such as, for instance, a pair of widely horizontally spaced staples St). The staples 3% desirably are introduced at a point without the seal 14, the area 1.6 of the bag 10 being particularly suitable for this purpose. It is to be understood that, in accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, other means for securing the bag to the stand may be utilized, although the staples are preferred. The method of attachment of the support base to the bag may be accomplished in substantially the same manner as hereinabove illustrated in the event that the support base is fabricated of a single piece of semi-rigid material as shown in FIG. 7.

Prior to opening of the bag in by a user, the package assembly of the present invention has the generally fiattened appearance of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. As there shown, the panel extensions 23 and 24 are folded inwardly to lie against the lower part of the walls 11 and 12 of the bag 19. The portions of the side panels 21 and 22 immediately above the crease lines 25 and 2d lie in superimposed relation with respect to the panel extensions 23 and 24, while the upper areas of the panels lay against the walls 11 and 12 of the bag. The over-ail flattened character of the assembly makes it an eiliciently compact unit which can be packaged, shipped, and stored in a minimum of space, in fact, in a space not much greater than would be required for the bag per se.

In utilizing the self-supporting package assembly of this invention, the lower portions of the panels 21 and 22 are separated from the bag walls and the panel extensions 23 and 24 are folded preferably inwardly to position them in superimposed relation under the bottom of the bag, whereby a substantially triangular support base is formed. In accordance with a broad aspect of the invention, the panel extensions 23 and 24 may be folded outwardly, although this is a less desirable use of the panel extensions, since the panel extensions cannot then be readily interlocked or tied together in the manner to be described. If the panel extensions are turned inwardly, the bottom of the bag rests on the superimposed panel extensions 23 and 24 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and if the panel extensions are turned outwardly, the bottom of the bag rests on the supporting surface on which the stand assembly is placed.

The dimensions of this stand are most advantageously selected so that, when the stand is setup, the spacing between the staples 3tl-3tl and the bottom bag seal 13 is less than the spacing between the staples and the inwardly folded panel extensions or support surface so that the weight of the bag will be supported in part by the support surface. This will cause the bag 10 to tilt somewhat as shown in FIG. 4 which applies a compressive force along a resulting fold or crease line 39 above the level of the contents of the partially filled bag, to form a seal below the pouring spout thereof. When the bag is made of a material like polyethylene, the confronting bag surfaces tend to stick together somewhat, and this together with the compressive force applied at the fold or crease line referred to effect such a tight seal that evaporation of any liquid contents within the bag and ingress of moisture into the bag are prevented.

In order to provide stability to the stand 20, the foldable extensions 23 and 24 should be interlocked or tied together. This may be advantageously provided by the tongue and slot construction illustrated in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the foldable panel extension 23 is provided with a tongue 40 which may be struck from the panel 23, and the panel extension 24 has a cooperating slot 41 which receives the tongue 40 releasably to interlock the panel extensions.

Referring now in particular to FIG. 6 of the drawings, which shows another form of tongue and slot construction for the foldable panel extensions 23 and 24. In this embodiment, the panel extension 24 has a narrow end portion 45 which advantageously is received by and extends beyond and through a slot 46 positioned substantially at the crease line 26 at the base of the panel 22. The panel extension 23 is provided with an end portion 47 which extends beyond the panel 21. The panel extensions 23 and 24 in extending beyond the panels imparts greater stability to the stand enabling it to withsand greater jarring forces which might otherwise upset the unit.

It should be apparent from the foregoing description that the self-supporting package assembly of this invention has important advantages not only from the standpoint of convenience to the user, but from an economic standpoint in that a simple, highly effective bag and stand structure is provided at a minimum of cost and with a minimum of materials. In addition, it should be apparent that its compact character enables it to be stored and shipped in a minimum amount of space. Also, the package assembly of this invention is rugged and can easily withstand the rigors of handling both during packaging and use. Substantially any type of cardboard or cardboard-like material can be used in the construction of the side panels and the foldable extensions, the grade and type of cardboard and cardboard-like material chosen being dictated by the purposes for which the structure is to be utilized.

Refer now to FIGS. 8 through 10 which illustrates a package assembly 8 with an improved stand which is similar in many respects to the stand 20 of FIGS. 1-7. Corresponding parts thereof have been similarly numbered. As there shown, the stand 20' has panels 21 and 22' which are sufficiently wide to encompass substantially the entire width of the bag 10. This widening of the panels relative to the panels of the stand 20 provides a more attractive and rugged package assembly. The panels 21 and 22' include the panel extensions 23' and 24- having the same construction shown in FIG. 5. One of the corresponding upper corners of the panels 21 and 22 are cut-away as at St) to expose the adjacent corner of the bag 10. The cut-away portions 50 of the panels form a guide edge along which the cutting edges of a knife or scissors may be run to cut the proper amount of material from the bag to form a pouring spout below the level of the upper seal 14.

Frequently, the bag It) has advertising indicia 52 printed thereon which identifies the product and the manufacturer thereof. To expose the indicia 52, the panel 21 positioned on the side of the bag including this indicia is formed with a central cut-away section 54 which provides a window through which the indicia is visible. In the folded compact condition of the package assembly 8, the panel extensions 23' and 24' may be folded against the inner surface of the associated panel in the same manner shown in FIG. 2, or alternatively, may be both positioned on the side of the bag 110 remote from the side including the indicia 52, as shown in FIG. 9, so that the window 54 will not be obstructed by the panel extension 23. When the package assembly 8 is unfolded and supported on a horizontal support surface as shown in FIG. 10, the bag will rest on the panel extensions and tilt slightly to form a seal as explained in connection with the package assembly 8 of FIGS. l-7.

In a case where it is desired to omit printing the indicia 52 directly upon the bag It), the window 54 would be omitted and the printing placed on one or both of the panels 21' and 22'. A package assembly having standfor ming panels upon which printing indicia is placed is shown in FIGS. 10 through 12, the package assembly being generally identified by reference numeral 8". In this form of the invention, the panels referred to have been given reference numerals 21 and 22" and form part of a open bottom stand or enclosure 20 for the bag 11). The panels 21 and 22" are approximately the same size as the panels 21' and 22' in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 through 10 and are devoid of the panel extensions utilized in the latter embodiment of the invention. The confronting side margins of the panels 21 and 22" are joined by bridging walls 56 and 58 which extend the full height of the panels. The bridging walls 56 and 58 have a triangular shape and are provided respectively with vertical medial fold lines 62 or 63 which permit the walls to be folded in half inwardly in the manner shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. As there shown, the folded-in-half walls extend generally along one of the side walls of the bag It and generally parallel to or in the same general direction as the panels 21" and 22 to form a compact folded package assembly. When the bridging walls 56 and 5d are unfolded so as to extend generally transversely of the panels 21" and 22", the panels diverge downwardly at a substantial angle so that a stable triangular base is provided. The panels 21 and 22" have corresponding cut-away corner portions 60 which expose a corner of the bag 10 in the same manner as described in connection with the cut-away portions 50 of the panels 21' and 22' in FIGS. 8 through 10.

In all of the package assemblies just described, a corner of the bag projects beyond the stand-forming panels. In some cases, it may be desirable to cover over completely the corner of the bag 10 to protect the same during shipment or to present a neater package appearance. Refer now to FIGS. 15 and 16 which shows a modified panel corner construction which accomplishes these ends. As there shown, the upper portions of the stand-forming panels 21 and 22 (or 21" and 22") enclose the corner of the bag which is exposed in the other embodiments of the invention. To facilitate severance of the corner of the bag, a pair of guide slots 64-64- are provided in the panels, the slots angling across the corners of the panels to a point below the level of the upper bag seal 14. The slots b t-64 of the panels are in superimposed relation and form a guide slot for the blade of a knife or razor, or the cutting edges of a scissors. When the package assembly is several along the slots, a pouring spout will be provided below the level of the upper seal 14.

In the case where the slots 64l-64 extend completely between the orthogonal edges of the panels, it will be necessary to retain the portion of the panels on the outside of the slots 6464 upon the sides of the bag by adhesively securing the same thereto in any suitable manner. In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16, the staples 30-34) are preferably omitted and the connection between the panel material and the bag walls are most advantageously effected by a layer of adhesive 65 or by some other securing means. described, the formation of a pouring spout requires a In all the embodiments of the invention previously described, the formation of a pouring spout requires a scissors, knife, razor blade or other cutting tool. There may be occasions when such tools are unavailable and, to this end, the forms of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 17 through 19 have been developed. Referring now to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 17, the panels 21 and 22 (or 21" and 22") are provided with superimposed lines of perforations 66-66 extending across the corner portions of the panels to a point below the upper bag seal 14. In this form of the invention it is assumed that the bag 10 is made of a material which is easy to tear, such as cellophane. In

such case, when the corner portions of the panels be yond the perforations 6666 are grasped and pulled in the direction of the perforations, the latter portions of the panels will sever along the perforations along with the bag walls which are pulled against the torn exposed edge of one of the panels.

In the case where the bag 10 is made of a material which is not readily severable in the manner just described, a thin edged strip of metal or plastic 63 is adhesively or otherwise secured along the inner margins of one of the lines of perforation 66, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. The thin edge 69 of the strip 63 bordering the perforations 66 may be serrated to form series of projecting points to facilitate the severance of the bag 10.

It is apparent that the various aspects of the present invention provide an exceedingly simple, inexpensive, and compact container and stand assembly for supporting fiat flexible bags in an upright position. Also, various aspects of the invention facilitate the severance of a corner of the bag to form a pouring spout and provide a construction which seals below the pouring spout when the stand is supported in an upright position upon a support surface.

It should be understood that numerous modifications may be made of the preferred forms of the invention described above without deviating from the broader aspects of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination comprising a partially filled, nonself-supporting, flexible bag having relatively closely spaced confronting walls which sealingly engage each other on all sides thereof to form a fiat bag having a material holding compartment therein and a spout forming section at the top of the bag from which the contents of the bag can be poured, a stand supporting the bag in an upright position above a bag contacting surface, said stand including means at the top thereof engaging the top of the bag at least at two horizontally spaced points wherein the bag cannot tilt with respect to the stand in the plane of the bag, said bag being unsupported at the sides thereof and spaced from the stand and the bottom thereof resting on said surface which causes the bag to tilt and form a crease above the level of the bag content where the walls of the bag are pressed together in self-sealing relation below said spout forming section thereof.

2. A self-supporting container and stand assembly comprising: a non-self-supporting flexible bag having relatively closely spaced front and rear walls forming a flat bag construction, and stand forming means supporting the bag in an upright position including a pair of opposed support base forming members disposed on opposite sides of said front and rear bag walls and connected to only the upper portion thereof at two widely horizontally spaced points, wherein the bag cannot readily tilt with respect to the panels in the plane of the bag, the distance between the bottom of said base forming members and the points of connection thereof to the bag being substantially greater than the distance between the bottom of the bag and said points of connection measured along said bag walls, the lower portion of said base forming members being spread apart where they extend outwardly and downwardly away from the points of connection thereof with the top of the bag to form a triangularly shaped stand which is connected to the bag only at the upper end thereof and is spaced from the sides of the bag, said base forming members being movable to contiguous positions where they are adjacent the bag walls, and said bag having a spout-forming section at the corner thereof adapted to form an exposed pouring spout for the bag while the bag remains attached to the stand.

3. The container and stand assembly of claim 2 wherein said base forming members are panels of semi-rigid material and there is provided means for holding the lower portions of said panels a fixed distance apart in their spread apart positions, said holding means comprising foldable extensions at the bottoms of said panels foldable between a first position where they extend at a small angle to the panels and a second position where they extend at a substantial angle thereto, and said panel extensions including releasable interlocking means for tying said extensions together comprising a tongue formed by one of the panel extensions and a slot in the other of same for receiving the tongue.

4. The self-supporting container and stand assembly of claim 2 wherein said stand forming means is an open bottom enclosure with said support base forming members thereof comprising a pair of panels, said stand forming means including foldable side walls bridging the side margins of said panels, said side walls being foldable into a position where they extend generally in the direction of said panels where the panels may be brought relativelyclose together against the front and rear bag walls to form a compact container and stand assembly, and having an unfolded position where they extend generally transversely of said panels to force the lower portions thereof in widely spaced apart relation to form a stable triangular stand for the bag.

5. A self-supporting container and stand assembly comprising: a flat, non-self-supporting, imperforate flexible bag having sealed top side and bottom edges which define a material holding compartment therein, and stand forming means connected to the bag for providing a stable support base, said stand forming means including at least one panel secured to the top of the bag and inclining downwardly and outwardly therefrom at least to the level of the bottom of the bag on one side thereof, said panel encompassing the full width of the bag where the top corners thereof are covered by the panel, and means for severing the portion of said panel covering a top corner of the bag along with the corner of the bag to form a pouring spout in the bag, the last mentioned means including a slot in the panel for guiding a cutting knife inclining across the corner thereof which extends from the top edge to the side edge of the panel, the slot overlying unsealed areas of the bag whereby severance of the bag along said slot in the panel will leave a pouring spout.

6. A self-supporting container and stand assembly comprising: a flat, non-self-supporting, imperforate flexible bag having sealed top side and bottom edges which define a material holding compartment therein, and stand forming means connected to the bag for providing a stable support base, said stand forming means including at least one panel secured to the top of the bag and extending downwardly therefrom at least to the level of the bottom of the bag on one side thereof, said panel encompassing the full width of the bag where the top corners thereof are covered by the panel, and means for severing the portion of said panel covering a top corner of the bag along with the corner of the bag to form a pouring spout in the bag, the last mentioned means including perforations in the panel positioned along a severance line inclining across the corner thereof from the top edge to the side edge of the panel, the line of perforations overlying unsealed areas of the bag, wherein, bag and panel are grasped and pulled together in the direction of said severance line leaving a pouring spout in the bag.

7. A self-supporting container and stand assembly comprising a flat, non-self-supporting, imperforate flexible bag having sealed top side and bottom edges which define a material holding compartment therein, and stand forming means connected to the bag for providing a stable support base, said stand forming means including a pair of panels disposed on opposite sides of the bag and secured to the top of the bag, said panels encompassing the full width of the bag where the top corners thereof are covered by the panels, and means for severing the portion of the panels covering a corner of the bag along with the corner of the bag to form a pouring spout in the bag, the last mentioned means including means forming weakened areas in said panels along superimposed severance lines inclining across the adjacent corners of the panels from the top edge to the side edge of the panel, the severance line overlying unsealed areas of the bag, and said last mentioned means including means on said panel forming an edge against which the bag corner is severed as the bag and panel are grasped and pulled together in the direction of said severance line.

8. A self-supporting container and stand assembly comprising: a flat, non-self-supporting, imperforate flexible bag having sealed top side and bottom edges which define a material holding compartment therein, and stand forming means connected to the bag for providing a stable support base, said stand forming means including at least one panel secured to the top of the bag and extending downwardly therefrom at least to the level of the bottom of the bag on one side thereof, said panel encompassing the full width of the bag where the top corners thereof are covered by the panel, and means for severing the portion of said panel covering a top corner of the bag along with the corner of the bag to form a pouring it? spout in the bag, the last mentioned means including means forming weakened areas in said panel along a severance line inclining across the corner thereof from the top edge to the side edge of the panel, the severance line overlying unsealed areas of the bag, and said last mentioned means including means on said panel forming an edge against which the bag corner is severed as the bag and panel are grasped and pulled together in the direction of said severance line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,103,389 Salfisberg Dec. 28, 1937 2,125,318 Salfisberg Aug. 2, 1938 2,285,103 Wolf June 2, 1942 2,381,662 Harris Apr. 14, 1959 2,946,434 Brina July 26, 1960 2,951,628 Grussen Sept. 6, 1960 2,999,627 Reinhardt Sept. 12, 1961 3,602,667 Buttery Oct. 3, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,001,182 Germany Jan. 17, 1957 

1. THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A PARTIALLY FILLED, NONSELF-SUPPORTING, FLEXIBLE BAG HAVING RELATIVELY CLOSELY SPACED CONFRONTING WALLS WHICH SEALINGLY ENGAGE EACH OTHER ON ALL SIDES THEREOF TO FORM A FLAT BAG HAVING A MATERIAL HOLDING COMPARTMENT THEREIN AND A SPOUT FORMING SECTION AT THE TOP OF THE BAG FROM WHICH THE CONTENTS OF THE BAG CAN BE POURED, A STAND SUPPORTING THE BAG IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION ABOVE A BAG CONTACTING SURFACE, SAID STAND INCLUDING MEANS AT THE TOP THEREOF ENGAGING THE TOP OF THE BAG AT LEAST AT TWO HORIZONTALLY SPACED POINTS WHEREIN THE BAG CANNOT TILT WITH RESPECT TO THE 